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Scam Alert: Spoofing Calls on the Rise

Jackson EMC has received multiple reports of members receiving phone calls from scammers claiming to be from their power company and urging immediate payment for power bills. Members should be aware of the rise of this recent scam, called spoofing.

In these type of calls, scammers pretend to be calling from a power company and may even use caller ID to fool their victims. The scammers often tell victims to immediately pay their power bill or be disconnected for non-payment. In some cases, the scammers are targeting non-English speaking victims.

“More and more customers are reporting this scam. Please don’t fall for it,” says Jackson EMC Director of Customer Service Brent Cochran. “No matter how fancy they get with their schemes, just remember two things -- no real utility will call you and tell you to pay up right now or be cut off, and they definitely will not ask for payment by Green Dot or other cash cards.”

Cochran says if you’re worried about a past due bill, simply get your utility’s number from your phone book, your bill or their website and call them – not the number on your caller ID.